


Birth and death in the same episode

by sloganeer



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-14
Updated: 2005-12-14
Packaged: 2017-10-10 21:20:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/104396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sloganeer/pseuds/sloganeer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's like a soap opera.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birth and death in the same episode

They have a christening in the morning for the first baby born in Atlantis. His name is Adam, because his mother is a German linguist and his father is an American soldier, and how could they not. Colonel Sheppard is up there at the front of the room with Elizabeth and the parents and the tiny human being in his arms. The chaplain pours sea water over the kid's naked head, and when it starts to cry, everyone claps.

Rodney takes this to mean he can start on the buffet.

He wouldn't even be here if it weren't for John, but Rodney's used to that by now. He could have been in his lab, getting something done, except that they spent last night in John's quarters. Rodney didn't even get coffee before John told him he was coming. He didn't even have time for an excuse.

John has to be here. John is Adam's godfather. The American isn't just a father and a soldier, but he's also a pilot. They're still a small enough number that John knows each one by name, and what embarrassing things they do when drunk. He couldn't say no.

Elizabeth was named godmother because this is the first time. Rodney is still Rodney, and he hasn't run out of godfather jokes yet.

He holds out the tiny plate of hor d'oeuvres. "Cannoli?"

John scowls, and he steals a purple vegetable stick from the plate.

"What?" Rodney asks. "Did the kid pee on you?"

"No."

"He didn't - ew - he didn't do the other thing?"

"No, Rodney. No."

"Fine." John finishes the vegetables on Rodney's plate because that's why they're there. When he's done, Rodney goes back for dessert, with John close behind. "So when can we go?"

"You got a hot date?"

"Yes, actually. Do you know how long it's been since I had my hands on a keyboard?"

"It was last night." John is standing at his back. He reaches over Rodney to grab a handful of those bittersweet green berries, and it puts his mouth right at Rodney's ear. "You get out of bed when I fall asleep."

"I do not."

"You do." He feeds Rodney one of the berries. "But I don't mind. It doesn't always wake me up."

"Did I wake you up last night?"

When Rodney turns away from the buffet, John's arms fall around his waist. He kisses Rodney's forehead because it's the first part he can reach. "Don't worry. You'll know when you wake me up."

"Right."

Rodney holds up his plate between them. John feeds him more of the berries, and Rodney lets him have the last chocolate truffle.

"It was nice," Rodney says.

John nods. "At least there was food."

-

Once a week, they have dinner with Ronon and Teyla. When John first suggested it, he and Rodney weren't sleeping together. Rodney whined and complained, and the words "team building" were tossed around. Now they are sleeping together, and Rodney calls it "double dating."

He's waving a fork around, and yammering about something that John isn't listening to. Teyla ducks every time she thinks Rodney might finally lose that forkful of mashed purple vegetable in her direction. Ronon's nodding along because Rodney's looking right at him, but his eyes keep flicking over at John. It's not often that Ronon needs saving. Tonight, though, Elizabeth beats John to it.

Her voice comes over the citywide comm. "This is Dr. Weir. As many of you know, last week, we lost another member of our crew, Dr. George Bloom. Atlantis has lost many friends. Now, a minute of silence for the fallen. Please, in your own way, remember those no longer with us."

Rodney's way is with another biscuit, and John gives him an elbow in the side to go with it. These minutes are getting to be normal, marked by death, or accident, or when Elizabeth believes the city to be too complacent. Even John forgets sometimes that a minute of silence is a sacred thing.

He thinks about standing with his father at the cenotaph. Dad wore dress blues, and John wore his Boy Scout uniform. John thought about Superman and Green Lantern because Dad said it was a day for heroes, but mostly he thought about his mom.

A minute felt like forever. Now, it's barely enough time to recite the list of names. They're his soldiers, and Rodney's scientists, and Colonel Sumner with his sharp salute. John isn't even in uniform tonight. He's dirty from a trip out to the mainland, and a little sweaty from the fight to get Rodney out of his lab.

Too soon, Elizabeth is on the comm again, thanking the city, and giving everyone permission to pick up their pen, gun, or fork again. The team finishes up dinner, and they head out together. Teyla says goodnight, and Ronon wanders off to the gym. Rodney tries to get away, but John stops him with a hand on his elbow.

"There are things I need to be doing," he complains, waving helplessly in the direction of his lab.

"Not tonight, Rodney."

"You're not the boss of me," he says, and continues talking all the way to John's quarters.

This is how it happens. They'll be here, or in Rodney's quarters down the hall. They'll pretend to watch a movie before falling into bed. In the morning, they'll have a mission, and in the afternoon, the debriefing. Rodney will finally get away to his lab, and it'll be another week before John sees him again. This is life in Atlantis, and it will continue this way until another member of the expedition is gone, and Elizabeth marks another minute.

"Does the day feel longer to you?" Rodney's punching his pillow, and getting ready for bed, but when he looks up at John, he's expecting an answer.

"Yes, it does feel longer." John rolls away, curled up on his side, and Rodney is right there behind him.

"A minute never felt so much like a funeral," he says. "But it was nice."

John nods. "At least there was food."


End file.
